Love for the Ages
by MusicSoul1987
Summary: Imagine a world where you grow until 18 and then stop until you meet your soul mate and then you gradually grow old together. Now imagine a kid that watches the system tear apart his family. Dan vows he'll never fall in love but will mother nature give him a choice?
1. Prologue

**Hey kiddies. New story. This one is phan so for anyone who came here looking for something else...Sorry not sorry. Please read and review!**

When Dan's mom was younger she made the mistake of her lifetime. She stopped aging at 18, like everyone who hadn't found their partner had. So she waited. And waited. And waited. Finally her and a man, Dan's dad, found each other. Together they spent a year together before had him. They were married shortly after that. They loved each other and had honestly thought that they found everything they needed. Years passed and as Dan grew older people around them started to notice what they had failed to. Dan's mother and father were still 18. They hadn't aged a day since then. The realization broke their hearts but they continued against the norms. They stayed married and took care of Dan until when Dan turned 14 and the family took another hit.

On Dan's 14th birthday his mother, aunt, and dad surrounded him as they waited for him to blow out his candles. Dan didn't have a lot of friends so they'd decided to have a family oriented birthday party. They'd been passing cake around when he noticed the tears in his mother's eyes.

"Mom?" he asked, putting down his plate and walking over to her.

"I'm fine," she said wiping at her eyes and trying to smile at her son.

"Are you sure?" Dan asked again.

"I'm fine," she insisted and got up. She collected the dishes and then went to the kitchen to clean up. He looked over at his dad and saw the unhappy look on his face. Something in him screamed. He knew something was wrong but he couldn't put his finger on it. Something hadn't been okay in the family for a long time. It had taken its toll on all of them, even his father looked older.

All of the sudden he felt like he was going to be sick. He looked at his father's worn face and realized that with a heavy heart, his father had been aging, without his mother.

"When were you going to tell us?" Dan asked feeling like his throat was closing.

"I wanted to wait until after your birthday," he said.

"How long?" Dan asked. He felt sick.

"A few months," his dad said.

"A few _months_?" Dan yelled, "you've known for months? And you didn't tell us?"

"I didn't want to hurt you," his father said, "I can't help it Dan."

His world crashed down around him. His father moved out with his new partner, the one he was meant to grow old with. His mother went farther and farther into her depression, eventually tuning out Dan completely and not eating. She was placed into a special hospital and Dan was left to be stuck in a house with his new fiancée. She was nice to him but that just made him more angry. He wished she was mean so that he didn't feel so bad about hating her like he did.

From that day forward Dan swore he'd never fall in love. He couldn't take the chance that the same would happen to him.

Four years passed and Dan was at Uni. He had met a great deal of friends and had started making YouTube videos. He turned 18 and drank way too much and had a roaring headache the next day. Half way through he'd had a breakdown and decided to pursue making YouTube videos as a full time commitment. He dropped out of Uni and went to share a flat with another YouTuber named Phil. His father was a little nervous of his sudden change from being a lawyer to a professional vlogger but not wanting to hurt his already strained relationship with his sun decided that he would let it alone. Everything was coming together perfectly for Dan. But things never go the way people hope. And this is no exception.


	2. Chapter 1

**Here's the new chapter, as always please read and review! It really helps the writing process when someone leaves a review for me.**

Dan and Phil were exceptionally alike. They got up at the same time, watched the same shows, ate the same food, and worked on videos together. They preferred their time indoors and would never go a few hours without talking to the other. When Phil's family went on vacation they skyped at night. Well, it was night for Phil, it was actually about 3 am for Dan but he never wanted the calls to stop so he just let Phil carry on thinking it was the same time for both of them. Now two years later they were both celebrating Dan's birthday. Dan told him that it wasn't necessary but Phil had told him it didn't matter if he wasn't technically aging. He'd even insisted Dan's father come up to celebrate with the family at a dinner.

"Dan it's great to see you," Rebecca said smiling warmly at him.

"It's nice to see you too," Dan said after getting a nudge from Phil under the table.

"Son," his father said.

"Dad," Dan acknowledged.

Stories were swapped, mostly between Phil and Dan's father. Phil updated his father on everything that was happening in Dan's life and had even managed to make them feel relaxed. They carried on for a few hours, Dan smiling and laughing with Phil and his family. He'd forgotten how much he'd missed having his family by his side. Time had passed and he'd come to terms with what happened. He didn't think he'd ever be truly happy with what happened but he understood it had to happen.

"So are you going to tell me who the special someone is?" Dan's stepmom asked smiling at him, her eyes sparkling.

Dan choked on his drink, "What?"

"Don't what me," she said waving him off, "you're at least two inches taller and I can even see your shoulders are finally shaping off."

"I really don't know what you're talking about," Dan said and then looked down at himself, "I need to go to the bathroom."

He walked quickly to the bathroom and then looked into the mirror. He felt his stomach in his throat. His shoulders had shaped off and his legs were looking longer than they'd been when he left. His face looked a little older than the family photos his dad had passed around. He'd met his soul mate and he hadn't even known it.

"Dan?" Phil asked as he pushed the bathroom door open, "Are you alright?"

 _He couldn't have grown,_ he thought as he looked at Phil. Phil was still slightly taller than he was and their shoulders hadn't changed when he compared them. He looked to Phil's face. His 6 o'clock shadow was appearing. Dan tried to think hard. Had Phil ever mentioned him changing?

"Dan," Phil said again putting his hand on Dan's shoulder.

It hit Dan like a brick wall.

"Phil," he said as calmly as he could, "Did you shave back when I first met you?"

"I don't shave," Phil said looking slightly concerned at Dan.

"Then why do you have stubble?" Dan asked.

Phil's eyes widened and soon he was next to Dan looking in the mirror.

"Oh god," he said looking in the mirror and then to Dan.

"Bloody hell," Dan said dropping his head on to the sink.


	3. Chapter 2

**Alright new chapter! This one is a tear jerker, sorry. Remember read and review! The reviews are what make me want to keep writing! And the one I just got, got you this chapter!**

"We could have just both found our soul mates at the same time," Dan tried to reason as he walked back and forth in the bathroom.

"Dan," Phil tried to say.

"I mean sure we both started growing around the same time but we could be a few days apart," Dan continued.

"Dan," Phil tried again.

"I mean because it's not like we're in love or anything," Dan ignored him.

"Dan!" Phil yelled and finally Dan stopped talking and looked up at him, "I wasn't going to tell you. I thought it was just a crush."

"Wait," Dan said, "Woah, woah, woah, you didn't even say anything!"

"I didn't want you to be weirded out or something and not want to move in together," Phil said.

"Wait you've had a crush since we were supposed to move in together?" Dan asked, "Phil it's been 2 years!"

"I thought it was just a crush," Phil defended himself.

"Well look what your crush has done!" Dan yelled back.

"Oh don't tell me you're one of those people who try to avoid your soul mate so you can't get old! You know even they die eventually right?"

"I'm not part of the PAA!" Dan shouted back, "I'm not in love with you! This is a mistake!"

"A mistake?" Phil said, "Biology doesn't make mistakes Dan!"

"It has before!" Dan yelled back.

"You know what?" Phil asked angrily, "I can't believe to you!"

"Believe me?" Dan asked, "You're the one who ruined everything!"

Phil recoiled like he'd been hit.

"You know we could make this work," he said quietly.

"There's no making this work. This is a mistake," Dan said icily.

Phil let out a choked cry.

"I can't believe you," Phil said, "I'm going home. Don't come back tonight."

"Fine," Dan spat at him.

Phil wiped at his eyes and stormed out of the bathroom leaving Dan with a sinking feeling and regret in his wake.

Dan went back out into the dining area feeling the eyes watching him. People had heard the shouting in the bathroom and seen Phil leaving. Now eyes were boring into him like they could read his story if they looked hard enough.

"Dan?" his stepmother asked hesitantly when he got back to the table, "is everything okay?"

"Everything's fine," he said and went to get his wallet, "I have to go."

"We saw Phil leaving," his stepmother said, "We didn't mean to break you guys up. We just thought that you both were aging. I'm sorry."

"Break us up?" Dan asked wiping his head up to meet her eyes, "You thought we were dating?"

"You weren't?" she asked surprised, "He just had a crush?"

"We weren't together and we never will be," Dan said icily towards her, "I'm not dumb enough to end up like mom."

"Dan!" his father yelled at him, "Don't you call your mother an idiot!"

"Well she had to be to get married to you!" he yelled back, "I'm not going to make her mistake! I'm not going to fall in love. I don't want a soul mate, I don't care if I get old alone as long as I don't end up like that!"

"So you know who you're soul mate is then?" his stepmother interjected.

"It doesn't matter," Dan said glaring at her, "I don't want it."

"You know having a soul mate is different than what your mother and I had Dan. We weren't soul mates. A soul mate is your forever. That's the person that was meant for you and only you. You don't have to worry about what happened to your mother happening to you."

"Biology has been wrong before. I'm not taking the chance," Dan insisted.

"For 1 in every 2 million people Dan!" his father said, "It's not like it's something that commonly happens."

"Well knowing our family luck it will be me!" Dan said, "What if Phil finds someone else huh? Then what am I supposed to do? End up like mom? Spend the rest of my days in a hospital?"

"So Phil is your mate?" his stepmother asked.

"Yes Rebecca congratulations," Dan snarled , "You can see!"

"Don't talk to her that way!" his father said, "I know you don't like how things turned out but this isn't like you. This wasn't the little boy that I raised and honestly I'm not sure that this new you is worth all the pain. I want the boy I raised back."

"Then maybe you shouldn't have ruined everything!" Dan yelled as frustrated tears fell down his face, "You ruined my life! You ruined mom's life and now you just expect me to walk in and forget that it all happened! You want me to forget everything I grew up with and leave behind everything that meant something to me!"

"I'm sorry Dan," his father sighed, "You're right I screwed up but this you- this thing that you've become? You can't blame that on me. You can blame all the hate and anger that is inside of you. You did this to yourself and now you're going to have to deal with it by yourself because I'm done. And if you haven't noticed yet, I think Phil's done too."

His father and stepmother walked out, leaving Dan to his tears and regret.


	4. Chapter 3

**Hey guys here's another chapter for you. While reading this I recommend the songs that I listened to while writing it:**

 **1\. Stay - Safetysuit**

 **2\. Someone Who Cares - Three Days Grace**

 **3\. Therapy - All Time Low**

 **Please Read and Review! Reviews are essential for the story to be continued. Without them I lack the ambition I need to write it.**

As Dan had grown up there were few things that he was sure of. The first thing was that kids were assholes. He spent most of his early years hiding from kids that had endlessly tormented him for being from a set of non-soul mate parents. The second thing he'd been sure of was that his parents were meant for each other and that no matter what happened it was worth the teasing if only his family could remain together. At 14 he'd been forced into the painful reality that it was impossible for that to happen.

As soon as kids found out the teasing got worse. Dan didn't know what to do as the verbal turned physical and the physical turned neglectful. By the time they'd made it on to shunning him he was broken beyond repair. Soon he learned to miss the pain and started to recreate it in his own home. It started with an accident. He'd accidently dropped a knife and clumsily tried to catch it. As he watched the blood drip from the wound on his hand he realized that he felt slightly better inside. His head was still screaming at him but it lessened. The pain inside his head lessened slightly.

The next time he'd tried it he'd been in the shower. The razor had stared him down until he'd finally picked it up. The weighed it in his hands for a few second before pulling the curtain back from to make sure that the bathroom door was locked. Not that it mattered anymore. His mother had stopped moving from her spot a week before. He pulled the curtain back and pulled the razor apart, slowly, making sure not to nick himself with it. Once the razor was out he slowly and lightly dragged it over his wrist. It stung as small beads of red rose to the surface in the wake of the sharp blade. He lightly pulled it over his arm again. And again. And again. With each sting of the blade his head started to release the pressure that had been bubbling inside of it. Soon twenty or so cuts littered his arm and he was feeling lightheaded. That was the last thing he remembered.

When he woke up he was being pelted with cold droplets and his head hurt. He looked down to his red stained wrist and sighed. He got up, turned off the shower, and pulled a towel around his waist before digging through the medicine cabinet. He pulled bandages and rubbing alcohol out. He uncapped the bottle and clenched his teeth before pouring it over the cuts. He let out a hiss as the cuts bubbled slightly. Rinsing off the cuts, he wrapped bandages over it before grabbing his old clothing and opening the door. He walked down the hall and into his room. Grabbing a pair of jeans and a light long sleeved shirt, he put them on and sat down on his bed. He sat there for a few minutes in the silence before checking the time on his phone.

7:00

He got up and walked out to go make dinner.

The pattern continued. Soon he wasn't doing homework but cleaning and taking care of his mother. His past times got put on hold and so did his happiness. He took a job at a hardware store to help support the bills and did half days at school. He was lucky that he was even passing his classes but his teachers tried their best to get him through school. His mother became his priority and cutting became his solace. He went on to deeper cuts and then to burning when it wasn't enough. He graduated high school and then it all fell apart. A teacher had finally said something and they came to take Dan's mother away. He'd screamed and threatened and freaked out on them but they were serious in their decision and soon his mom, the only thing left of his old life was gone. That Dan had sworn he'd never love anything. It was all pointless and painful. Love wasn't worth this.


	5. Chapter 4

**Two chapters in one day! You guys are going to get spoiled. As always please read and review and these are the songs:**

 **1\. Sugar, We're Going Down - Fall Out Boy**

 **2\. Show Me How Love Goes - Kris Allen**

 **3\. My Happy Ending - Avril Lavigne**

Phil had been born under similar circumstances to Dan but also completely opposite. Both of his parents had found their soul mates but they were had both been part of the People Against Aging (PAA) , an organization against aging. They refused to acknowledge that they were soul mates with a person to in an effort to keep from aging. It was an impossible feat but some tried it anyway. Phil's parents had met in a counseling group for people with soul mates in the PAA and fell in love. It wasn't perfect but it was better than waiting around for people that were never going to love them back. They'd then had Phil and his brother. Phil had grown up being taught that the love from your soul mate was the best thing that could possibly happen but that it didn't always work out. His parents had drilled it into his head from an early age to hold on to his soul mate and to never let them go. The PAA was going out of style, though there were still a few cultish followers and his parents had hope that it would work out for him. Phil and his brother had been forced to deal with some bullying on the issue and for a while preferred to be on his own if only to avoid the pain that came with human interaction.

Then he'd met Dan in college.

It had been everything in a friendship he'd ever wanted. They liked all of the same things and were both trying to a career in YouTube. They'd gotten along amazingly and when Phil had found out Dan was hurting himself they'd worked together to get Dan to stop. Together they could have done anything together. And if Phil had a small crush on Dan? Well that couldn't hurt could it?

But it did hurt.

Everything in him hurt as he realized even his soul mate didn't want him. Phil had always hoped that once he found his soul mate everything would piece together and be perfect and finally he wouldn't feel so alone. And he'd had that in Dan. He hadn't realized but Dan had filled everything in his heart that had been missing. And then he'd torn his heart out and taken it all back. Everything in Phil hurt and all he wanted to do was sleep. He'd finally arrived at the house. Unsteadily, he'd unlocked the door and fell through. Hot tears finally streamed down his face as he let the pain consume him. Grabbing a blanket from the back of the couch he didn't even make it to his room before he buckled over from the pain in his chest. His sobs grew louder and his breath shorter as a panic attack consumed him. He hadn't had one in years and now it was back full blast. He grabbed his phone shakily and dialed in the number he knew so well.

"Phil?" his mom's voice echoed in his ear.

"Mom," Phil forced out through the tears.

"Phil what's wrong?" his mother asked worriedly.

"Dan, his dad came, and we went to dinner, and his stepmom, and I and he and and," he choked out.

"Calm down honey," his mom soothed, "I'll be right there okay? Don't move Phil and don't do anything stupid please. _Please._ I'll be right there just don't move," she begged over the phone.

"Okay," he hiccupped and drew the blanket closer to himself.

His mother was there in record time, using their spare key to let herself in and pulling her son into her arms as close as she could.

"What happened baby?" she asked as she rubbed his back.

"I'm aging," Phil said as tears continued.

"What?" she said shocked and took a look at her son. He was looking older now that she thought about it. When had that started?

"Honey that's okay," she said, "It won't be so hard to find out who triggered it."

"Dan's aging too," Phil said looked down at her.

"Oh dear," she said.

She'd always liked Dan but at the same time pitied his soul mate. She knew his type and although she would have never said anything, she knew that he was as far from ready for a soul mate as anybody could be. He had made it clear when she'd met him and offered to set him up with a nice girl (that she'd wanted to set Phil up with but he'd turned out to be attracted to a different type of person, mainly male) and he'd out right refused, saying that he didn't want to date, that he would be a tough one to crack for the fool that fell in love with him.

She just didn't expect _her son_ to be that fool.

She felt pain in her heart as she realized that pain that her son must be feeling.

"He didn't take it well?" she guessed.

"I would have been jumping off the walls if he hadn't taken it _well,_ " Phil said, his crying dying down, "He took it like I told him he had cancer. He said it was all my fault that he was stuck with me and he-he basically told me that he wants nothing to do with me anymore."

"Oh Phil," his mother said rubbing her son's back as he laid his head on her chest, "I'm so sorry honey. I wish I could tell you everything was going to be alright but I just don't know how this is going to go down. I wish I could tell you Dan will come around but I know he's been through a lot. I might not mention it but I saw the scars and I know he's really far gone honey."

"I know," Phil said, "but I can't give up on him. He's supposed to be my forever."

"You might have to," his mother sighed, "You might have to find another forever."

"I don't want that," Phil said, "I've never done anything to deserve all of this. What can't I just have one chance at happiness. What did I do mom? What did I do for this to happen to me? I've tried my best. I've turned the other check, I've been nice to everyone even when they weren't nice to me, I've done everything I can to be worth something to someone. Why am I still worth nothing? Why? Why?"

"I don't know honey," she said, "I don't know."


	6. Chapter 5

**Hey Guys, New Chapter! This one will hurt a little but I promise it's going to get better! Songs are:**

 **1\. The Scientist - Coldplay**

 **2\. Whatever It Takes - Lifehouse**

 **3\. Nobody's Home - Avril Lavigne**

Dan didn't want to go back to the flat, knowing that Phil was there and he was hurting. He tried to ignore the sinking feeling in his stomach.

He felt bad.

He didn't know why. He was only protecting himself from heartbreak. He didn't want to end up like his mother. He couldn't take the chance.

So why did he feel like this?

He knew he'd been harsh. He felt bad about that, rightfully so, but the yearning in his chest scared him. He couldn't have gotten so dependent so quickly. It took most soul mates 6 or 7 years before it hurt to split apart for this short of a period. He walked out of the restaurant, ignoring the eyes boring into the back of his head.

He remembered Phil's face and the look of hurt on it when Dan had rejected him. He remembered that late night Skype calls that had started this friendship and the video that had started all of this. He regretted pressing that subscribe button. He wanted to go back in time to tell himself what he was in for if he pressed it. Then he thought about their first meeting, the goofy grin Phil had gotten when they finally met face to face. And the hugs, the warm comfort that had pulled him from the edge so many years ago. And all the hugs after that. He remembered the first Phil is Not on Fire and the tackle that had left that laughing until they couldn't breathe. He remembered the late breakfasts that had turned into early lunches. He remembered their first flight together, where a thunderstorm had raged around them and the turbulence was enough to make Phil curl into himself. He remembers the warm hand in his and Phil's head on his shoulder as the waited it out together. He remembered their first snowfall. He'd woken up to extreme cold, and there Phil had been smiling widely with his hands behind his back innocently as Dan looked down to see snow on his chest. He remembered the ride out into the country and the cab to the park to see the lighting of the Christmas tree and play in the snow. He remembered the snowball fight and shoe full of snow and their Starbucks cocoas that were so sweet he was sure a sip was the cause of any subsequent cavities. He remembered stripping out of their clothes into their boxers and shirts and grabbing a comforter to cover them. He remembered Phil falling fast asleep during the Christmas movie marathon, lying on Dan's lap. He remembered drifting off with him. He remembered the marathons of TV shows they'd gifted each other and Netflix binges of ones they didn't. He remembered when they got their flat in London, the excitement and hugging. He remembers everything; he remembered how Phil saved him and he knew.

If he went back in time and told himself the whole story, he'd press that button.

Phil had saved him.

And he'd broken his heart.

Dan put his head into his hands and breathed out. He was torn between his head and his heart. He'd seen people's hearts lead them to disaster but when he used his head he'd hurt Phil. He never wanted to hurt him.

 _Phil was his world,_ he realized.

He looked up from thinking o see the front of their apartment building. He took a deep breath and looked to their apartment window.

He sighed and turned away, walking towards the pavement's edge before hailing a cab.


	7. Chapter 6

**Hey new chapter for you guys. As always please read and review and also I'm sorry in advance. It will get better soon I promise...hopefully. Here are the songs:**

 **1\. Save Rock and Roll - Fall Out Boy**

 **2\. The Mighty Fall - Fall Out Boy**

 **3\. Hallelujah - Panic! At The Disco**

Phil's mom had forced him to take a shower and eat something. It'd been 2 days since he'd heard from Dan. His mother hadn't left since the day he'd called him. She wanted to pack up Dan's things for when he got back but Phil hadn't been able to. Seeing Dan's things in a box had resulted in tears and Phil had vetoed any future attempts. He knew his mom was trying to help by preparing him for the worst but he didn't want to face the fact that he lost his best friend and soul mate all in one swoop. Everything in him hurt and he was glad for his mother being there or…he wasn't sure what would have happened but he knew it wouldn't have been good.

He had called their mutual friends to check if Dan had gone to any of them or even contacted them but nobody had heard from him. He checked with his father relying on the slim chance that Dan had stayed with them but of course he hadn't. His father mentioned the argument that they had and that they hadn't talked since and Phil's worry grew.

"I think we should call the police," Phil said to his mother one night.

"Phil I don't think he's missing," she said gently, "I think he just doesn't want to come home. I doubt he's in any trouble."

"He wouldn't just up and leave. He would have at least called," Phil said fighting back tears.

"I know you two were friends but I think it might be over sweetie. I think you might have to face the fact that he doesn't want you to be a part of his life anymore," she said, "There's something that's wrong with him Phil, I don't want him to take you down with him."

"There's nothing wrong with him," Phil yelled, "Don't say that!"

"Phil you have to face the facts! Dan doesn't want you!," she said, "I know that you don't want to let him go but you are going to have to! He doesn't love you! I'm sorry but I don't think that boy's capable of feeling love Phil! Something broke him well before you got to him and it isn't something you can just fix!"

"I don't care!" Phil said, now fully crying, "I love him! I don't care if he never loves me back! I just want my best friend back! I wish that this had never happened! I wish that I could have just pretended it was a crush! I lost him mom! I didn't want to lose him. I didn't mean to lose him."

"You didn't lose him honey," Phil's mom said, "He lost you."

"He didn't lose me," Phil cried, "He could come back and have me anytime he wants. I lost him. He doesn't want me anymore."

"He's not worth it," his mom tried to tell him.

"Get out," Phil said, "Please. Go home and go see dad and let me sort this out on my own. I'm going to call the police and try to find Dan. I don't care what you say I need him.

"I can't leave you like this," his mom said, "You're my son. I don't want to see you in this much pain Phil. It's breaking my heart. All I ever wanted was what was best for you. I don't ever want to see you hurting."

"I know," Phil said wiping his tears, "but sometimes you have to let me make my own mistakes. I need to find Dan. That's what I want."

"Don't make me go," Phil's mom pleaded, "What if you don't find him?"

"Then I'll just have to look harder," Phil said.


	8. Chapter 7

**Another two chapters in one day because without school I have nothing else to do. I hope you like the chapter. Please review! It really does help with the writing process. You got this extra chapter from a review I got today actually. I don't have songs for this chapter as I was listening to the same songs.**

Dan woke up with pins and needles in his head. He groaned and rolled over, falling off of the bed he was asleep on. He groaned again and looked up. The light burned his eyes and he brought his arm up to block it out. He looked around to see his phone sitting on the side table. He rose slowly, teetering a bit as he stood up. He picked up his phone, accidently pulling the charger out of the wall. He unplugged it and then went to look at the screen.

15 missed calls from Phil

Another 20 from various friends and family

He had at least 30 texts from Phil alone.

 _Dan where are you?_

 _Dan I know you're mad but please just let me know you're safe_

 _Dan?_

 _Dan please I'm really worried_

 _Dan please answer_

 _Dan I'm going to call the police_

 _Dan please._

Dan looked at the date and his eyes widened.

What in the hell?

 _June, 13, 2011_

How long had he been out. He looked around the room to see bottles scattered everywhere. Wine, vodka, beer, and the like. God what had he even been thinking. He smelled and his clothes stuck to him in a way that let him know he hadn't changed them in a while. His taste left in his dry mouth made him think something had died in his mouth. Where'd he even gotten the charger?

His backpack.

He looked around, picking couch cushions off the floor and looking underneath the duvet until he'd finally found it.

His wallet, oyster card, a couple of book, his earphones. Everything was there except his credit card but he'd seen that on the side table when he'd picked up his phone. As he gathered his things he heard a knock on the door.

"Sir?" a man said from the other side, "We are aware there is a do not disturb sign on the door but we haven't seen any activity on the scanner. Are you in there? There's no signal of the door opening."

Dan cringed at the thought of people being able to see when he walked into and out of a room but that was something for another time.

"I'm fine," he tried to say but his scratchy throat garbled it.

"Sir are you okay?" the voice asked more urgently.

Dan picked up a bottle of warm soda and gulped it down.

"I'm fine," he said again, this time his words more distinguishable.

"Okay thank you sir," the voice said, "Sorry to bother you."

"It's fine," Dan said.

He listened to the footsteps walk away as he gathered his shoes. He put them on without socks and his socks were holding their shape. He grabbed his swipe card and walked out of the room.

As he was returning his card to the front desk he was even more aware of his smell.

He walked out locating a pharmacy quickly and buying some spray deodorant and cheap body spray and walking into the bathroom to try to look presentable. He should have showered before he left the hotel. He didn't even know where he was.

He went to another shop to ask for directions, too embarrassed to go back up to the clerk in the pharmacy.

"You don't happen to know where I'm at do you?" Dan asked the clerk.

"You're near the London Eye sir," the clerk said looking at him a little funny, "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah," Dan said, "Everything's fine I'm just a little lost is all."

"Do you need help getting somewhere?" the girl asked.

"No I should be fine now," Dan said and thanked her before walking out.

He went to the underground, only to find that his route had a delay. He spent a great deal of time uncomfortably waiting in the corner for the tube to arrive. He must have been a sight. His hair was greasy and stringy and his clothes had a scent that even the body spray he bought could only hide so much of. His clothes were stiff, as if the smell offended them and he was pretty sure he looked like he hadn't slept in a week even though he'd spent most of the last two days sleeping. His stomach rumbled as he realized embarrassed he hadn't eaten in a few days. Groaning he resolved to eat something as soon as he reached his neighborhood. The tube finally showed and he got on, taking careful notice to distance himself from other riders. He was exactly what he hated about people on the train and now had a new appreciation for people like them. When he finally made it to his street he stopped at a shop and grabbed a pre made sandwich, scarfing it down before continuing on his way. He reached his apartment building and looked at their shared window, taking a deep breath he walked in. He rode up the elevator and walked down their hallway. Opening the door he was greeted with Phil looking bewildered at him.

"Dan?" he said as if he couldn't believe he was really there.

"Hi Phil," Dan said, "Long time, no see huh?"


	9. Chapter 8

**Hey guys! I'm so sorry. I wrote the draft on my old phone and then old phone decided not to work anymore! I couldn't move the draft over and so I had to rewrite I from scratch. So here's the next chapter. It's a little shorter than I would have liked but hopefully still good. As always please review! It keeps me writing.**

 **"Hey Phil," Dan said, "long time no see huh?"**

 **Phil leaped foward enveloping Dan in a strong, almost painful hug.**

 **"I thought you were dead," Phil said onto Dan 's shoulder, "I was about to call the police."**

 **"I'm sorry," Dan said, "I just needed some time."**

 **"I called you a thousand times," Phil said "where is your phone?"**

 **"I'm sorry," Dan said again , "I just needed to be alone to think."**

 **"So?" Phil asked.**

 **"What?" Dan asked.**

 **"What did you decide?" he asked nervously.**

 **Dan was quiet for a moment. Phil felt an itch crawl underneath his skin and he waited anxiously for Dan's answer.**

 **"I'm still not completely sure," Dan said, "On the one hand you're my best friend and when I thought about it I would never change anything that we've been through. It's been amazing for the last couple of years and I don't want to think of what would have happened without you there."**

 **"But?" Phil asked his insides turning.**

 **"But I never wanted to do this. I always catch the bad end of the stick. No matter what I do everything finds a way to get screwed up and our friendship isn't something I want to risk. I don't want to end up alone. But to be together might be the way to avoid that forever and I want to tell myself it's worth the risk but if I remember the way past things have gone then everything leading up to this is saying it's a terrible idea."**

 **"Can you just give us a chance?" Phil asked quietly, "I promise you won't regret it. Just give me a chance."**

 **Dan was silent again.**

 **"Please," Phil said.**

 **"Okay," Dan said.**

 **Warmth spread through Phil. He wasn't sure what to say so he just settled on hugging Dan tight again.**

 **"This is going to be a slow process," Dan said, "and you might want to leave before we get to the point you want to."**

 **"I'm not going to leave Daniel," Phil said, "Nothing you can say will make me."**


	10. Chapter 9

**Here's the new chapter. I hope you like it. Thanks for sticking with me. Please read and review.**

Dan and Phil had to separate at some point, pulling back and taking a deep breathe as he took in that everything was finally okay.

"I missed you," Phil said when they pulled back.

"I'm sorry," Dan said akwardly looking down at his feet.

"Don't be," Phil said kissing him on the forehead, "you're here now and that's all that matters."

That night they slept in Dan's bed at Phil' insistence. The smell of Dan had easily fallen over Phil and they were sleeping in seconds.

Phil was the first to wake up. Dan, who was curled in on Phil's chest, was still peacefully sleeping. Phil closed his eyes and tried to fall back asleep again. Eventually he got up, squirming his way out of bed and going into the kitchen. He put the kettle on for coffee and began rummaging in the cabinets for something to eat. Settling on cereal, he finished pouring his coffee and sat down to watch an episode of Buffy.

Dan woke up slowly, he felt the shift in the bed but had ignored it in favor of curling up with one of the extra pillows on his bed. An hour later and he couldn't sleep any longer. Annoyed at this realization he begrudgingly got up and dragged himself to the bathroom. After relieving himself he went out into the living room to find Phil with a bowl in his lap, head slightly leaned back, snoring softly as an episode of Buffy played in the background. He smiled softly, looking at his best friend. He smiled to himself again as he picked up the bowl and replaced it with his head and happily curling up into Phil's lap, promptly falling asleep. With soul mates there could always be problems. That was the issue Dan was faced with. Some could be I'm the PAA and others didn't want to let go of their "real" soul mate. But the thing Dan had feared most was a triple soul mate error. Sometimes when people became soul mates they were on the same wavelength as another and another person started aging. The soul mate who had to pick between the two had a horrible desicion to make as they, with their time stamped lower left thigh, had to choose who they would rather be with, and if Dan was being honest with himself, he knew it wouldn't be him. Luckily or maybe unluckily the time stamp was located on the back of the leg, where most people didn't discover it by themselves. Both choices, who bore a small red dots on their inner ankle, would suffer if not chosen and whoever ' s dot didn't turn black signaling they were chosen would usually be cursed to suicide in their later life. So when Dan caught sight of his red dot he'd kept his mouth shut and tried to let go of Phil. The pain in his chest had proven to much and he couldn't do that though. Now, with all he had in him he begged the other choice to stay away and allow him more time. However when he heard the doorbell his heart clenched and he prayed to a god he didn't believe in that it was PJ or Chris or even Phil's mom behind the insistent ringing.


End file.
